In the News: Sun Peaks Independent News (SPIN)

International Rotary Ski Fellowship Brings Global Ski Week and Adaptive Sports Fundraising to Sun Peaks

By Louise Hudson, Sun Peaks, BC, Canada

This March, Sun Peaks Resort will welcome an international group of skiers whose shared love of the mountains is matched by a strong commitment to fellowship, fun, and giving back to the communities they visit.

The International Skiing Fellowship of Rotarians (ISFR) will host its 2026 North American Ski Week at Sun Peaks from March 7–14, bringing Rotarians and their families from around the world to Canada's second-largest ski resort. By early winter, more than 60 participants had registered from Canada, the United States, Australia, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, Austria, and Japan.

ISFR is a global Rotary Fellowship that has connected ski and snowboard enthusiasts for over 50 years. Members of all ages and abilities come together annually at leading international resorts, blending time on the slopes with Rotary's values of service, community, and international goodwill. For many participants, the experience is as much about building lasting friendships as it is about enjoying world-class terrain.

Over the past two decades, ISFR ski weeks have taken place at world-class destinations including St. Moritz, Niseko, Aspen, Telluride, and St. Anton. In Canada, the group has previously skied Whistler, Banff, Lake Louise, and Revelstoke. The selection of Sun Peaks reflects the resort's reputation for accessibility, varied terrain, and a welcoming village community.

"Our focus is skiing and supporting the local adaptive program wherever we go," said ISFR President Allyson Walter. "Our group includes everyone from first-time skiers and snowboarders to retired professional skiers, ski patrol members, and instructors. While we're a skiing fellowship, we definitely welcome snowboarders as well."

Central to the Sun Peaks visit is ISFR's commitment to fundraising for Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks (ASSP), which provides adaptive snow sports opportunities for individuals with disabilities. One of the week's après-ski receptions will allow visiting members to see the program in action.

"We are excited to share the wonderful work ASSP does," said Katherine Campbell, Executive Director of Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks. "Participants will have the opportunity to tour our equipment room, meet instructors and students, and hear first-hand the impactful stories of our members." Visitors will also have the chance to ski alongside some of ASSP's volunteer instructors.

A highlight of the fundraising banquet will be the première of a new promotional ASSP video currently being produced in collaboration with Lone Wolf Productions.

Campbell, who also serves as President of the Rotary Club of Sun Peaks, said local Rotarians are delighted to host the friendly and generous fellowship. "They are truly people of action," she added. Funds raised this week will support ASSP's ongoing priorities, including purchasing new adaptive equipment for both winter and summer programs and continuing training for volunteer instructors.

ISFR's fundraising efforts are coordinated through the Davis Boyd Memorial Foundation, established more than 35 years ago to support adaptive ski programs worldwide. "We hold fundraisers throughout the year and during each ski week, and then donate the proceeds to the local adaptive program we are visiting," Walter explained. "A few years ago, our annual fundraising was around $10,000 to $15,000. Last year, we raised more than $57,000 US for the Steamboat Adaptive Recreational Sports (STARS) Program."

During their stay at Sun Peaks, ISFR members will be based at the Sun Peaks Grand Hotel, chosen in part for its ski-in, ski-out conveniences. A full schedule of social, sporting, and community-focused events includes a welcome reception, daily fellowship breakfasts, après-ski gatherings, dinners at village restaurants, and a fundraising banquet. "The planning committee mostly organizes evening events and allows people to ski on their own in groups throughout the day," Walter explained. "We always start the day with a wonderful fellowship breakfast where people can make contact and organize their day."

A distinctive feature of the week is the group's 'home hospitality' evening. On Sunday night, local Rotarians will host visiting members for dinner at their homes. "It's one of the highlights of the week," Walter said.

On Thursday evening, the group assembles in the main ballroom of the Sun Peaks Grand for the banquet. "We have a lot of fun with our fundraising dinner," Walter said. "We start with a silent auction. We ask all the participants to bring items to donate from their home area or home country." This is followed by a live auction, where big-ticket items such as home stays in other resort areas or artwork are put under the hammer. "Additionally, we do a live dessert auction—rather than serving dessert, we make members bid for it." Provided by local Rotarians, a cake or pie has raised more than $1,000 in the past.

The 2026 ISFR North American Ski Week highlights Sun Peaks' role as both a world-class ski destination and a community deeply committed to inclusive mountain access. Through its partnership with Adaptive Sports at Sun Peaks and the Rotary Club of Sun Peaks, the event will leave a lasting legacy that extends well beyond the slopes. There is still space for people to join the fun. Information is available on our website.